Ten best heavyweight left hooks

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by dmt, May 24, 2026.


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  1. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    best not necessarily in terms of power (although power certainly matters) but also timing, consistency, placement, speed etc.

    1. Liston - is the ultimate left hooker. Power, timing, placement, etc.

    2. Tyson - speed, devestating to body and head, and had genuine one punch power.

    3. Wlad- just a monster of a left hooker and was able to deliver it consistently due to his height and reach

    4. Frazier - less powerful than some others but good power, speed, devestating to body and head, could fire it all night long. the consistency and persistence was amazing.

    5. Louis - could triple it up, devestating power, great hand speed

    6. Cooney - just shocking levels of power, could deliver it to the body and head

    7. Tua - probably the most powerful though not the best delivery system due to having slow feet. Still amazing power.

    8. Foreman - underrated. He used his left hook beautifully to guide Moorer into his right hand which is a skill. He bloodied Frazier in their second fight with the left hook.

    9. Dempsey - not enough footage as some of the others but from what we can see, he had such amazing speed and power with the left hook

    10. Morrison

    Ruddock had a great left uppercut so i am not counting him.
     
    dmt, May 24, 2026
    dmt, May 24, 2026
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  2. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I always thought Holyfield had an underrated left hook.

    He almost stopped Bowe with a single left hook.

    Dropped Mercer with a left hook I believe ?

    And this clip here of Holyfield knocking down Savarese with 10 seconds to go in the 9th round is one of the sweetest left hooks I've seen.

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    Here's another sweet left hook from Holyfield in the amateurs.

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    Dynamicpuncher, May 25, 2026
    Dynamicpuncher, May 25, 2026
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  3. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    Holyfield would be in the top 15-20 for sure.
     
    dmt, May 25, 2026
    dmt, May 25, 2026
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  4. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    01 - Joe Louis
    02 - Joe Frazier
    03 - Wladimir Klitstchko
    04 - Sonny Liston
    05 - Mike Tyson

    I guess these would be my five picks, for what it's worth. In reality there's very little separating the best left hooks in the business.
     
    McGrain, May 26, 2026
    McGrain, May 26, 2026
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  5. slash

    slash Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I can't believe that Savarese got up from that Holyfield left hook. Turned his head all around.. His neck must have been in severe pain for a few days.. or more..
     
    slash, May 26, 2026
    slash, May 26, 2026
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  6. Sangria

    Sangria You bleed like Mylee Full Member

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    Holyfield also dropped Tyson with a left hook to the body. That's 3 guys who never hit the canvas (sans Tyson against Douglas) in Mercer, Bowe and Tyson. And I believe he stunned Lewis big time with a left hook in the rematch.

    I like DMT's list. Holyfield just outside the Top 10 for me.
     
    Sangria, May 26, 2026
    Sangria, May 26, 2026
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  7. GoldenHulk

    GoldenHulk Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I think I might put Mike Weaver in there.
     
    GoldenHulk, May 26, 2026
    GoldenHulk, May 26, 2026
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  8. dinovelvet

    dinovelvet Antifanboi Full Member

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    Wlad fought a left hook battle with Brewster and got demolished. Brewster used have a lefthook highlight reel on youtube but its gone now. Wlad has no left hook high light reel because its a punch he rearly knocked guys out with. He couldn't even deliver a left hook to the body.
    If you can't hook to the body your not a great hooker. Simple as that.


    https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSFCrWnfUbzJ03kkn_kjfJZ-__vJvIKpkTPJg&s

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    Tony Bellew creamed David David with left hooks. WK couldn't land a single left on Haye over 12 rounds.

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    Last edited: May 27, 2026
    dinovelvet, May 26, 2026
    dinovelvet, May 26, 2026
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  9. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    That was a terrific shot. Shades of prime Holyfield. I can’t believe such a faded version of Evander managed to land that.
     
    dmt, May 27, 2026
    dmt, May 27, 2026
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  10. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    sorry just saw this.

    Believe he, i detest Wlad. I do not even rank him as a top 10 all time heavyweight. Guy's reign was awful. I rated his hook highly due to what he did to Chambers but i dislike him more than i can ever put into words.
     
    dmt, May 27, 2026
    dmt, May 27, 2026
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  11. dinovelvet

    dinovelvet Antifanboi Full Member

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    apologies.
    Re Chambers
    Eddie was dead on his feet and 5 seconds away from he final bell before WK delivered the knockout hook. Reckon Brewster puts Chambers away in half the time.
     
    dinovelvet, May 27, 2026
    dinovelvet, May 27, 2026
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  12. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    No worries. I do agree with you
     
    dmt, May 27, 2026
    dmt, May 27, 2026
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  13. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

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    1. Frazier
    2. Wlad
    3. Louis
    4. Liston
    5. Tyson
     
    MaccaveliMacc, May 27, 2026
    MaccaveliMacc, May 27, 2026
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  14. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Floyd Patterson is worthy of mention. He gets so undersold and it's mostly to do with size in an era when a lot of people are obsessed with it. He punched miles above his weight and had an electrifying hook, thrown so fast if you blinked you'd miss it.

    The one that put Ingo out was one of the great left hooks, an historic one. The famous Gazelle punch.

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    JohnThomas1, May 27, 2026
    JohnThomas1, May 27, 2026
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  15. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    great mention. Floyd is indeed very underrated. what a hook.
     
    dmt, May 27, 2026
    dmt, May 27, 2026
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